Former NBA player Damon Jones to plead guilty in gambling scandal

Key Points:

• Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for involvement in schemes defrauding major sportsbooks and rigged poker games, exploiting insider information from his NBA connections.
• Jones admitted using nonpublic injury information about NBA stars, including LeBron James, to gain an edge in sports betting from December 2022 to March 2024, violating NBA conduct rules and betting sites' terms.
• He also acted as a "face card" in rigged high-stakes poker games, using his NBA celebrity to attract bettors while knowing the games were fixed, resulting in millions lost by players.
• Jones faces potential prison sentences ranging from 21 to 27 months for sports betting fraud and 48 to 63 months for the poker scheme, with sentencing hearings scheduled for January 2025.
• The gambling sweep involves over 30 arrests, including reputed mobsters and basketball figures, with co-defendants like sports bettor Marves Fairley expected to plead guilty and others, including former NBA players, facing further charges.